Background to My VBAC Story
At the later part of my first pregnancy, I was having blood discharge that was not “show”— a danger sign. And because the pregnancy was at term, I was induced with Misoprostol for 12 hours but got stuck at 2cm dilation. I was given a second dose and then there was no period of retraction (period of rest between contractions) anymore. I was literally running crazy. Then, after 6cm dilation, the heartbeat of foetus increased and in order to save the life of mom and baby, I had an emergency CS.

After that, I hated induction and would advise not even my enemy to do it. I told myself I would not birth another baby except by elective CS. After all the stress of labour, I still had to undergo CS. So, what’s the point?

My Wish to Try Labour Flouted

More than two years later, against the advice of hubby who is a medical doctor, I opted to try labour for my second child. Though, I have been having Braxton Hicks contractions, but no dilation. I had four membrane sweeps, the first one around 37 weeks, to ripen the cervical bone and aid dilatation.There was still no effacement at 40 weeks.

Hubby, though out of town, insisted on paying for CS.

It was a Tuesday, on one of the weekly routine antenatal clinic days, he sent the money and I was already fed up carrying the pregnancy up and down. So, I informed my doc of the change in decision. We were given the list of items to buy that afternoon to prepare for the scheduled CS the following morning. I was the first on the list, scheduled for 7 am. Two pints of blood was made available by my family. Anaesthetics came in, clerked, reviewed and prepared me for the morning.

Then a Gleam of Hope
I prayed Isha’ and was going to sleep in expectation of the morrow when the contractions became stronger. The docs checked, the cervix was 2cm dilated and the contractions regular. What wasn’t opening any bit before!

Meanwhile, I started drinking the water of Maryam’s flower that my mum gave me few hours before, around Maghrib time. It may have aided the contractions, but it all happened by Allaah’s Mercy.

A Second Attempt After All
The House Officer called the resident doc on-call, who was not on my team. So, he questioned the reason for elective CS and thought I should have an emergency CS. They called the consultant and he said “No, to the labour room. There is no contra-indication for labour/normal delivery.” Hubby also opined, “To the labour room”.

On the way to labour ward around 12 midnight, the contractions came even stronger. Then 3cm, then 5cm. And by the time it was Fajr before 6 am, I called the consultant to come over for the CS, I can’t bear it any longer, yet to dilate fully since the previous night. Hubby’s opinion? “When it’s 9 am and not yet fully dilated, move to the theatre”.

The consultant doc delibrately did not come until it was around 8:30 am. And by then, I was fully dilated, but cervix is still posterior and the contraction is not strong enough. So, he said, “Let’s augment with 0.5mg Pitocin in 500ml of normal saline.” My brain immediately went back to my last experience with induction and I spontaneously shouted “Ah! This contraction is strong enough…” and quickly added, “and the previous scar”, trying to remind him of the dislike of inducing/augmenting a previous CS patient”. He laughed “So, you want to teach me my job”.

And so, I was augmented. It’s just a little dose of augmentation, nothing as serious as being induced.

The expectation was that, in the next fifteen minutes, the cervix should be anterior, that means before he comes back I should have delivered. And he asked to be updated about the progress, then left. When I got to the delivery room, I was immediately given an episiotomy and was told to push when there’s contraction.

I pushed the first time, nothing happened. The second time, it was a “boom”!

And that was it. AlhamduliLlaah!

Post-natal and Stitching the Epi
“Who did this epi?”, questioned the consultant. The reg replied, “I did”. He shook his head, then I knew it was excessively done. I was stitched up, but unknowingly was still bleeding at the episiotomy site. After we got home with our bundle of joy, it broke down and I had to go back on the 7th day After the delivery for a secondary suture. That one na die!

The obligatory acts of aqeeqah were done that day too. They said it probably broke down because I didn’t rest enough and was even driving at some point during the first days after delivery. A few days later, there were some spaces that loosened again and when I informed my consultant, he exclaimed “Again?!” and said to not worry, “Just keep using the drugs, it will heal.”

Hubby also offered to get some sutures and oxycline and do it again. I rejected. I wasn’t going to put my bum down for another stitching except I was given a general anaesthesia that will make me sleep off while it’s been done. And alhamdulillah, it healed later.

My Opinion.
Well, no one ever told us it would be easy.
So, alhamdulillaah, after all!

What was your experience during your childbirth? Exciting, painful or awful? CS, vaginal or otherwise😉? Let’s hear it. For privacy, you can claim anonymity or use a pseudonym. Do share with us by submitting here.